Toowoomba range two lanes have done plenty of time drop down a gear to save the brakes

the rule of thumb when I was a truckie was, use the same gear going down as you would going up. I also turn up the electric brakes a little so that the van is braking slightly ahead of the tug. On steep hills like that, keep your speed down to below 40 ks and in the correct gear and you should be ok. Slowly slowly, you've got all the time in the world Hope this helps

Spent 40 years driving semi's all over Europe, Africa and Australia, been down some of the steepest and longest hills one 11 kls and between 7 and 10% with 29 tonne in the trailer. As long as you take it nice and steady, there's nothing to worry about, the secret is not to overheat your brakes by going too fast

thanks guys :)
Ozjohn its not really the hills themselves that worry me, if I wasn't towing it wouldn't be a problem, I'm just nervous because I'm towing with a car (suburu liberty) and not a 4 wheel drive and until I tackle these spots I'm unsure of how it will handle on a steep slope so I was hoping to take the easiest route first until I see how it goes.
Jules I'm headed for a short stay with friends in the northern suburbs then heading to FNQ

Is Cunninghams gap 2 lanes also Brickies

Grumpyone is right many more mishaps on Cuninghams than Toowoomba Range there is two lane cutting back to one lane and cause some drivers to race to pass before is cuts back to one and we all know can be the result if they don't pull it off . If you are traveling on the newell Highway it take you through Toowoomba

Toowoomba range every time

Hi  ..

Neither poses a problem if you do it slowly.

I have taken a large 21' 6" van down both many times.

All I do is approach the top at a low speed & select a low gear (usually second of five) and just 'wind' it down, traveling in the slow (truckies lane) often tucked in behind a semi.

The breaks are used very sparingly.

I get > 50,000 km out of a set of pads on the vehicle & the van has done 160,000 on the original linings.



At the moment both roads are under speed restrictions & probably still traffic control after the heavy rain so you will be going very slow in any case.


ps.  The hint about increasing the gain on the trailer breaks controller is a good one  ..

pps.  I always drive with a constant eye on the tackometer.  I try to stick on the same engine revs going up or down & change gears on the way up (never going down if it can be avoided) to maintain the engine revs.  Might be harder with an auto or without a tacko.

-- Edited by Cupie on Tuesday 25th of January 2011 05:18:31 PM

Gill, be aware that most of the roads you question, and have been responded have been affected by the recent deluge in S E Queensland.

Toowoomba Range is the best for the down hill run. It is shorter (steeper) but straighter than Cunningham's Gap, however you will travel through some of the badly hit areas. One mention was go go down through Murphy's Creek. Avoid that area currently, it was one of the worst hit in the deluge.

Good idea to head north and back towards the coast via Kilcoy. Maybe best bet given current situation in Qld

I would stay away from that area at the moment a lot of road damage from recent flood will take a lot of work to get it back I would stick to the Toowoomba Range , and I like back roads over highways , Kilcoy has had a lot of damage to roads and bridges

-- Edited by brickies on Tuesday 25th of January 2011 08:39:44 PM

The "normal" way would be via the Newell Highway and the Gore Hwy but you may need to check road conditions in Northern Victoria and around Goondiwindi. It may be an idea to allow extra travelling time to allow for damaged roads and roadworks. Maybe some of the forum regulars from Nthn Vic can bring you up to date.

The Oxley Hwy from Coonabarabran to Tamworth would provide a link to the NE Hwy if you were considering that option as suggested above.

From Melbourne to get to the Newell you only go up the Hume as far as Seymour, then turn off at the Goulbourn Valley Hwy, crossing the river into NSW at Tocumwal.

We had a couple of weeks in Echuca last year and to get north from there we went as far as Hay before turning west and joining the Newell at West Wyalong. We did that because we wanted to check out the Long Paddock sites on the Cobb Hwy - it was really interesting.

Happywanderer wrote:

---

Not sure what you mean about Northern Victoria jimricho. To be going anywhere near the flooding they would have to be going to Adelaide..

From Melbourne they would go straight up the Hume then across to the Newel in NSW if they intended taking the Newell.

---

I was mainly thinking of the condition of the roads and possible roadwork delays "post flooding".  As you're "on the spot" you're better placed to keep us up to date.

Jim

 

My son and family went home from Geelong last week, to Biggenden just inland from Bundy.
They came up here to Echuca, no roads blocked or flooded. (Came through Rochester, road clear) Stayed the night then headed to Denniliquin and up through the Newell.
The only detour they had to make was for a truck accident north of Coonabrabran. They had to detour around through Gunnedah.

Not sure about the Qld leg the next day. never got around to asking him.
This was last Tues/Wednesday.